On the Fringes

Ever wonder who are the most liberal and most conservative members of the Maryland General Assembly?

A group calling itself the Maryland Accountability Project has developed rankings based on how all 188 lawmakers voted on 25 bills last year. Findings, which can be viewed at the group's website http://www.mapscorecard.org., suggest that Prince George's County Democrat Joanne Benson ranked as the most liberal member, followed by Barbara Frush, also from Prince George's.

Sen. Alex Mooney, a Frederick County Republican, took the most conservative mantel for the third year in a road. Del. Donald Dwyer, the Anne Arundel Republican who's sponsoring the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage came in second, tied with two other delegates and another senator.
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Doug Graham, a spokesman for the group said in a news release issued today that the results suggest conservative members of the legislature are moving to the right, and liberals to the left.

"This clearly shows increased polarization within the General Assembly where some of those in the middle of the political spectrum have shifted to the right, leaving fewer moderates in the General Assembly," he said.